For years foreign correspondents have debated whether to boycott the pantomime press conferences Beijing uses to present a facade of transparency during its annual political summits.
On Tuesday one Chinese journalist hinted – in side-splitting fashion – at which side of the row she was on with an eye-roll so theatrical it set the internet alight and – in these politically treacherous times – may also have landed her in trouble.
The eye-roll in question came in response to a characteristically servile question at one of the heavily-scripted press conferences held on the sidelines of China’s... read more

Related news

The banks and Yancheng government moved to reassure depositors that their savings were safe, packing cash to the ceiling in bank branches to show depositors the banks had enough cash to fulfil all necessary withdrawals.
Chinese regulators have been...

Good morning folks, and welcome to the Morning Mail – sign up here to get it straight to your inbox every weekday morning.
NSW election David Marr profiles NSW premier Mike Baird. How a Liberal princeling became Australia’s most popular politician....

Senior ministers have brushed aside rumours of ructions within the cabinet following Julie Bishop’s visible dissatisfaction with a speech Joe Hockey delivered in parliament on Monday.
The foreign minister rolled her eyes and put her hand to her...

The Chinese reporter who first revealed Neil Heywood's death on his microblog – apparently unaware of its alleged connection to the family of senior communist party leader Bo Xilai – has been sought by officials, he has revealed .
Chinese state media...

Photographs appearing to show one of China’s most famous cities shrouded in a spectacular violet mist went viral on Wednesday, as millions of citizens choked on the country’s latest bout of toxic smog.
The fluorescent purple haze that engulfed Nanjing...

The politicians have been sent up in a host of viral memes imagining what private conversations they might be having as they prepare to make way for Mr Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
Mr Obama and Mr Biden will leave the White House on...